as in villain
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person
upon entering the store, I was beset by a caitiff in the guise of a salesman set on separating me from my money
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for caitiff
Noun
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There are spells, curses, vendettas, a twist villain, giant dragons who turn into humanoid warriors and many other creatures populating the world of this gargantuan feat of eye-popping computer animation.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
2 Mar. 2025 -
Hackman was among the most accomplished actors of his generation, appearing as villains, heroes and antiheroes in dozens of dramas, comedies and action films from the 1960s until his retirement in the early 2000s.—
SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN,
arkansasonline.com,
2 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Slinging a sports coat over his pajamas, Long pulls up to a curb and finds Tay (Dustin Nguyen), the Vietnamese speaker, plus two silent brutes, Eddie (Phi Vu) and Aden (Dali Benssalah), who muscle into his car and take over everything: the seating arrangements, the air freshener and their driver.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Mar. 2025
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The same Cromwellian brutes that persecuted witches in the English village of Warboys in 1589 are alive and well today to bully LGBTQ folks, immigrants, physicians trying to save lives of pregnant women and even scientists like Dr. Anthony Fauci.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
21 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Often regarded by historians as a collection of savage tribes, the Scythians emerge as a pivotal force of the ancient world in this monumental history.—
The New Yorker,
The New Yorker,
30 Jan. 2023
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Nearly 32 years ago, Rodney King’s savage beating by police in Los Angeles prompted heartfelt calls for change.—
Aaron Morrison, Claudia Lauer and Adrian Sainz,
Anchorage Daily News,
29 Jan. 2023
Noun
-
Potgieter is usually a monster off the tee, leading the tour in driving distance coming into the week.—
Tommy Tuberville,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
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The soldiers, both in the streets and at guard posts, fired their weapons, trying to prevent the moon from being eaten by a mythical monster frog called Reahou.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
6 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The closing scene is Trump relaxing on a sun lounger next to Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is widely portrayed as a devil in Gaza.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
Newsweek,
26 Feb. 2025
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At that point, Taiwan’s survival would depend entirely on U.S. military warships and aircraft rapidly arriving and entering into the conflict—a massive gamble for Taipei and a devil’s choice for the United States.—
Jennifer Kavanagh,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The unfortunate wretch makes an exciting escape, killing her captor in the process.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
18 Feb. 2025
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As Blake transforms into a swollen, oozing wretch who gnaws frantically on his own wounds, his family appears as glowing-eyed aliens, their words a jumble of indecipherable sounds.—
Jeannette Catsoulis,
New York Times,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Only criminal hacking is a crime, and not all hackers are criminals.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes,
8 Mar. 2025
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Officers says there are many reasons people use fake plates: criminals hoping to avoid being tracked by law enforcement, evading fines on toll roads, or people trying to find a way to drive without a driver’s license or insurance.—
Briah Lumpkins,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The modern health insurer is regarded as either a knave or a pawn and is seldom regarded as a knight.—
Sachin H. Jain,
Forbes,
20 Dec. 2024
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Human beings are motivated by virtue (knights) or rigid self-interest (knaves), or are passive victims of their circumstances (pawns).—
Sachin H. Jain,
Forbes,
20 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Caitiff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caitiff. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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